A World of Possibilities
by WhiteFerrets
Summary: What if Harry shook Draco's hand in Philsopher's Stone? Well, the possibilities are endless. / Drabble collab. AU. For the "What If?" challenge on HPFC
1. Shaking Hands

**Challenge: What if Draco shook Harry's hand in Philosopher's Stone?  
For: XxKissingSinxX's _'What If?'_ challenge on HPFC.  
****Disclaimer: JKR owns Harry Potter.  
Warning: AU.  
****A/N:I know the idea has been done before, and honestly, I've never been a fan of the whole Harry-friends-with-Draco thing ... but it's an interesting challenge that I'm certain I'll enjoy. I'm not sure how long this drabble collaboration will go on for. Maybe 50. Maybe 100. Who knows? Let's just see where my inspiration takes me.**

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**Shaking Hands  
_Word Count: 141_**

"You'll soon find out that some wizarding families are much better than others, Potter. You don't want to go making friends with the wrong sort. I can help you there."

Harry looked at Draco's outstretched hand, turning over the possibilities in his mind. On one hand, he – Harry – didn't want to make enemies so early on. On the other, Draco just insulted a very nice family, and he seemed somewhat of a snob.

Harry glanced at Ron, who was looking at him expectantly, waiting for Harry to turn the blond boy down. Harry bit his lip and looked at Draco, who was still waiting for Harry to accept his offer. Crabbe and Goyle were standing behind Draco obediently, staring at Harry's scar in awe.

It couldn't hurt, Harry decided, and nervously raised his hand to Draco's.

They shook.

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**A/N: I'm currently re-reading the series for the Book Club on HPFC, and I have to put the book down a lot so I can write up that particular scene, but change it for this. To date, I have four drabbles ready and waiting for this. They're following each other, but that will not be the case for all of them. Most of them will be unchronological and unrelated. **

**Review!  
And request! If you want to see something in here, tell me!**


	2. Train Ride

**Challenge: What if Draco shook Harry's hand in Philosopher's Stone?  
****Disclaimer: JKR owns Harry Potter.  
Warning: AU  
****A/N: Thanks for all the positive feedback! ^.^  
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**Train Ride  
_Word Count: 415  
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Grinning, Draco collapsed next to Harry, letting go of his hand. Ron shrunk back in his seat, glaring at Harry, who merely shrugged apologetically. Draco began rambling about Hogwarts, to which Harry listened half-heartedly.

"... and you should really consider Slytherin, it's such a-"

But Harry never found out what Draco was going to say as a girlish shriek erupted from Goyle's lungs as he hopped around, flailing his arms. No one but Scabbers had noticed him make a grab for one of Ron's Chocolate Frogs, and so the lazy rat took action, biting his finger. Goyle swung Scabbers round, yelling and knocking sweets everywhere. The rat finally lost it's grip, flying and hitting the window. The two large boys scampered and Draco, with a roll of his eyes, kicked the compartment door closed.

However, it was opened moments later by the bushy-haired, buck-toothed Granger girl.

"What _has _been going on?" she demanded.

"Greedy, childish boys," Draco drawled, "and a very protective, fat rat."

"Oh," said Hermione, as if Draco had explained the situation thoroughly. "And who might you be?"

"Malfoy. Draco Malfoy. And you?"

"Oh, I've read about you. Your dad was one of You-Know-Who's followers," said Hermione darkly. "I'm Hermione Granger. You boys should change. I've spoken to the driver, and he says we'll be arriving soon."

"I'm gonna find Fred and George," Ron mumbled, taking Scabbers and a few Chocolate Frogs with him as he left. Hermione helped the boys clean the sweets up from the floor, despite Draco's protests (he didn't want help from a _girl_), before leaving them to change into their school uniform.

"So, what do you think made Weasley leave earlier?" asked Draco as he buttoned his shirt.

Harry shrugged. "You insulted him and his family; can't say I blame him."

"Whatever." Draco pulled his robes over his head before checking his reflection in the window, smoothing down the slicked-back hair. "Granger's the other type, isn't she?"

"Other type? You mean … with Muggle parents?" Draco nodded. "Yeah, she is. Why?"

"Don't go making friends with her. She isn't worth it."

"I wasn't going to," Harry said quickly, pulling his own robe over his head. "She doesn't act very friendly, anyway."

Slowly and steadily, the train pulled to a halt. They'd arrived.

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**A/N:  
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**Review!  
And request! If you want to see something in here, tell me!**


	3. Boats

**Challenge: What if Draco shook Harry's hand in Philosopher's Stone?  
****Disclaimer: JKR owns Harry Potter.  
Warning: AU  
****A/N: Thanks again for all the positive feedback! Fifteen reviews in two chapters is a lot more than I expected^.^  
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**Boats  
_Word Count: 251  
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There was a loud, collective _"Oooooh!"_ from the First Years as the Hogwarts castle, perched high atop a mountain on the other side of a black lake, came into view. Draco looked unimpressed, but Harry had a feeling he was putting it on to look _cool._

"No more'n four to a boat!" Hagrid called, using a lantern to light up a fleet of little boats resting by the shore. Harry and Draco scrambled into one, and Hermione tried to follow but was stopped. Draco put his hands on either side of the boat, leaning forward and glaring at her.

"Purebloods only," he sneered, "I'm not sharing with filth."

Hermione turned her nose up and sniffed, spinning on her heel and trotting off. A pug-faced girl, along with an Italian-looking guy, climbed in almost immediately, grinning and greeting Draco like an old friend.

"Potter, this is Pansy Parkinson and Blaise Zabini. Pansy, Blaise – this is Harry Potter."

After they'd gotten over their shock and started chatting happily, Harry leant over to Draco.

"You didn't have to be so harsh to Hermione," he whispered.

"I was just letting her know where she stands," Draco said dismissively.

Harry bit his tongue, determined not to get in an argument before the school year had technically even begun.

"Ooh, look!" Pansy shrieked, pointing upwards. The Hogwarts castle loomed over them. Harry grinned.

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**A/N:  
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**Review!  
And request! If you want to see something in here, tell me!**


	4. Sorting Hat

**Challenge: What if Draco shook Harry's hand in Philosopher's Stone?  
****Disclaimer: JKR owns Harry Potter.  
Warning: AU  
****A/N: Sorry for not updating sooner. I've been busy.  
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**Sorting Hat  
_Word Count: 647  
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The First Years stood nervously at the front of the Great Hall, taking it in turns to step up to the stool and put the Sorting Hat on. The Granger girl had already been sorted into Gryffindor, and Neville Longbottom – the boy with the toad – soon followed her. Draco leaned over and whispered to Harry.

"Granger _and _Longbottom in Gryffindor. Guess that route's out for you now, eh?"

Harry smiled at the quip but couldn't respond as McGonagall called Draco up. The hat had barely even touched his head when it shouted "SLYTHERIN!" Draco ran to his new House table, turning to wink at Harry before sitting. And the Sorting Hat continued, some kids taking longer than others. Finally, it reached P. Pansy Parkinson got into Slytherin after only a few seconds. The Patil twins got separated into Gryffindor and Ravenclaw, and then Sally-Anne Perks got sorted, too.

"Potter, Harry."

Murmurs ran through the crowd at his name, some people not even trying to stay quiet, but Harry ignored them all as he sat on the stool and the hat was placed on his head.

"Hmm," said a small voice in his ear. "Difficult. Very difficult. Plenty of courage, I see. Not a bad mind, either. There's talent, oh my goodness, yes – and a nice thirst to prove yourself, now that's interesting … so where shall I put you?"

Harry looked at the Slytherin table, where Draco stared at him, waiting for the hat's decision. They made eye contact, and Draco gave him a thumbs up. Harry let his gaze stray to the Gryffindor table, where the Weasley twins from the train station were standing on their seats to get a better view, fingers crossed in hope.

Hagrid's voice echoed in his mind, how no wizard put in Slytherin had turned out good. He must have been exaggerating, there had to be a few wizards, at least, who didn't go bad.

Gripping the edges of the stool, Harry chanted in his head. _Not Gryffindor, not Gryffindor, not Gryffindor. _All the while, he prayed he was making the right decision.

"Not Gryffindor, eh?" said the voice. "Are you sure? You could be great, you know, it's all there in your head, and Gryffindor will help you on your way to greatness, no doubt about that – no? Well, if you're sure – better be SLYTHERIN!"

Harry heard the hat scream the last word for all to hear. There were audible gasps from the students and teachers alike, making Harry all the more nervous. The Slytherin table clapped and cheered, through a fair few seemed icy. Draco clapped him on the back and made space for him on the table. Harry glanced across the hall to see two identical faces of shock beneath red hair sink back into their seats; the Weasley twins weren't pleased.

Four names were left. Dean Thomas was immediately Sorted to Gryffindor, Lisa Turpin went into Ravenclaw, Ron Weasley joined Dean in Gryffindor with his brothers, and Blaise Zabini – the boy from the boat – was greeted with applause as he made his way to the Slytherin table.

"Welcome!" Professor Dumbledore said, silencing everyone in the hall. "Welcome to a new year at Hogwarts. Before we begin our banquet, I would like to say a few words. And here they are: Nitwit! Blubber! Oddment! Tweak! Thank you!" He sat back down as everyone cheered and clapped.

Harry noticed one of the older students lean over to Daphne Greengrass, a fellow Slytherin First Year, and whisper, "_He's _a nitwit." to which the strawberry-blonde girl giggled.

Harry gasped as the feast piled on the previously empty dishes, appearing out of no where. It looked delicious.

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**A/N: The next chapter is taking me a while. It's the flying lesson scene, and I just can't get right.  
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**Review!  
And request! If you want to see something in here, tell me!**


	5. Flying Lessons

**Challenge: What if Draco shook Harry's hand in Philosopher's Stone?  
****Disclaimer: JKR owns Harry Potter.  
Warning: AU**

**A/N: Happy 30th birthday, Harry Potter! Your present? I'm updating as many of my stories as possible. Yay.  
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**Flying Lessons  
_Word Count: 556  
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WHAM. A thud, a crack, and Longbottom lay face down in a heap. His broomstick, however, remained airborne, drifting off in the general direction of the Forbidden forest.

"Broken wrist," Harry heard Madam Hooch mutter. She turned to the rest of the class. "None of you is to move while I take this boy to the hospital wing. You leave those brooms where they are or you'll be out of Hogwarts before you can say 'Quidditch'."

Neville, whimpering quietly, hobbled off with Madam Hooch's support.

"Did you see his face, the great lump?" Draco laughed.

"Shut up, Malfoy!" one of the Gryffindors snapped.

"Ooh, sticking up for Longbottom?" Pansy said tauntingly. "Never thought _you'd_ like fat little crybabies, Parvati."

"Look!" Draco snatched something from the grass, holding it up for all to see. It was a glass ball, glittering in the sun. "It's that stupid thing Longbottom's gran sent him earlier."

"His Rememberall," Harry murmured quietly. He raised his voice. "Draco, I think you should leave it."

He smiled nastily. "Leave it? Where's the fun in that? I think I'll save it somewhere for Longbottom to collect ... how about up a tree?"

"Draco! Give it here!" Harry yelled, but Draco had leapt onto his broomstick and pushed off from the ground. He hadn't been lying that morning when he boasted about his experience on a broom - he _could_ fly well. Harry grabbed his broom, wondering why Draco had to be such an idiot, and started to mount it.

"No!" Granger shouted. "Madam Hooch told us not to move. You'll get all of us in trouble, Harry!"

Harry ignored her and, heart racing, kicked against the ground. He flew upwards, air rushing through his hair, his robes whipping behind him. It felt amazing and surprisingly natural to be on the broom, as if he was used to it. This was easy, this was _wonderful_. He turned the broom sharply to face Draco in mid-air, who looked stunned.

"Stop being stupid, Draco," Harry called, "just hand it over."

"I'm having a bit of fun, Harry!"

"This is going too far. Give it here." He leant forward and grasped the broom tightly in both hands, and it shot towards Draco like a javelin. He only just got out of the way in time, and he looked appalled. Down below, Harry could hear people clapping.

"Catch it if you can!" he shouted, throwing the glass ball as far and high as he could before rushing back for the ground.

Harry leant forward and pointed his broom handle down, gathering speed in a steep dive. He stretched out his hand, snatching at the falling Rememberall, missing it by inches. A foot from the ground, he caught it, just in time to pull his broom straight. He toppled gently onto the grass with the ball safely in his fist.

"HARRY POTTER!"

His heart sank at the sight of McGonagall rushing towards him. He got to his feet, trembling, and as McGonagall dragged him off, only one thought passed through his mind. _I'm in for it._

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